San Leandro's Home Earthquake Retrofit Program

1995 POPULATION: 72,307
1995 HOUSING UNITS: 30,309
Single Family Units: 18,630 (61.5%)
Multi-Family Units: 11,679 (38.5%)
KEY CONTACT: Development Services - Rosie Rios (510) 577-6007
Building Inspection - William Schock (510) 577-3422 or Doug Simms -3425

San Leandro's award-winning Home Earthquake Retrofit Program is a program that truly exemplifies taking "THE EXTRA STEP." A large amount of the housing stock in San Leandro is older, wood-framed dwellings, and the same type of construction is expected to be a significant portion of uninhabitable dwellings after an earthquake. Thus, the city developed a technical assistance program as a citywide service encouraging homeowners to retrofit their homes. Specifically, the Home Earthquake Strengthening Program contains four basic elements: a set of publications to assist the homeowner in getting underway with a retrofit, a separate inspection and permit for this type of project, a tool-lending "library" for those residents doing the work themselves, and community training for retrofit construction.

The Homeowner's Handbook was developed to show how to strengthen wood-framed houses for earthquakes, and was delivered to all single-family residents in the city. A more detailed publication, the Prescriptive Standard and Plan Set, was prepared as a set of numbered construction details for strengthening wood-framed houses and offers a standard scope of work for contractor bids as well. Information specified by the homeowner on the Plan Set makes it easy for the city to process applications for retrofit work and issue permits. The Set, as well as the Program, is available for homeowners at no cost.

The City offers a pre-construction inspection specifically for the earthquake retrofit work to assure that the job will be complete and cost-effective. Permit fees are set at low rates to minimize the number of households avoiding the work because of cost.

A tool lending "library" was established to allow homeowners with "do-it-yourself" initiative to borrow the necessary equipment (under the prescribed standard) for retrofitting at no charge.

A series of five 2-hour construction workshops is offered by the city to those homeowners who want to do bolting and bracing on their own. Taught by both industry experts and City staff, the Seismic Strengthening of Wood Frame Houses series is offered quarterly at a nominal charge. It also covers non-construction earthquake safety measures. A one-day course, Contractor Seismic Safety Training, is required for contractors who wish to be included on the list of qualified contractors available to homeowners in the city.

This page was last updated 12/6/04 by jbp.